Protesting farmers, under the leadership of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) and the Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee, met the Superintending Engineer, Jalandhar, to raise concerns over the inadequate electricity supply during the ongoing paddy transplantation season.
Following the meeting, the officer issued directions to ensure eight hours of uninterrupted power supply to farmers.
Addressing the media, BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) Jalandhar district president Kulwinder Singh and Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee state president Balwinder Singh Malli Nangal alleged that the government had failed to fulfil its promise of providing uninterrupted power for paddy cultivation.
The farmer leaders stated that growers had honoured the government’s appeal by transplanting paddy only after the officially prescribed dates. However, they claimed that instead of receiving a continuous eight-hour power supply, farmers were being supplied electricity for only two to three hours, with the remaining duration consumed by unscheduled power cuts.
The delegation submitted a memorandum demanding uninterrupted eight-hour electricity supply, an immediate end to unscheduled power cuts and compensation for time lost due to technical faults. They said whenever power supply is disrupted because of faults, the lost hours should be restored the same day so that farmers receive the full eight hours of electricity.
According to the leaders, the officer accepted their demand and issued instructions to provide the promised uninterrupted eight-hour power supply.
Kulwinder Singh Mashiana and Balwinder Singh Malli Nangal warned that if farmers continue to face irregular electricity supply in the coming days, they will be compelled to launch an agitation.
BKU (Doaba) ends protest at Behram Toll Plaza
Nawanshahr: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) staged a protest at Behram Toll Plaza in Nawanshahr to protest power cuts.
During the protest, officials of the Punjab State Power Corporation held discussions with union leaders. “The Executive Engineer (XEN) of the electricity department gave an assurance, accepting the farmers’ demands concerning power supply," Davinder Singh, farmer leader, said.
“According to the agreement, the department assured the union that electricity for tubewells would be supplied continuously for eight hours. Following the written commitment from the power department, the BKU (Doaba) called off the protest," he said.
